Method of imbibition printing with pure primary colors and product



Patented Mar. 7, 1933 t I No Drawing.

' been accompllshed.

UNITED. STATES PATENT OFFICE IBEBTHA SUGDEN TUTTLE', OF BOSTON, IASSAOEUSETTS, ASSIGNOB, BY ASSIGN- 3 ms, 1'0 TECHNICOLOB, 1110., OF NEW YORK, N. Y A. CORPORATION OI DELAWARE m0!) 0! IHBIBITION PRINTING PURE PBIKABY COLORS AND PRODUCE Application filed Iaroh 9,

This invention relates .to cinematographic films and has for an object the im rovement of color images produced thereon by imbibition and of the reproduction of the original scene depicted in-more exactly a propriate colors and li ht values than has heretofore In making films for cinematographic projection purposes, it is now the common and preferred practice to prepare a matrix film corresponding to the red as ect of the original scene and another matrix m corresponding to the green as ect of the scene, and to print the blank film t erefrom by dyeing the matrix films withthe respective colors and bringing them into contact with the blank film, thus imparting to the blank the composite red and green images respectivel from the two matrix films. However, suc practice is limited to the reproduction of the'various shades and densities of the respective colors, red and reen, and of the hues which may be derived y combining them.

In practice, this procedure has been supplemented by treatin the matrix with two shades of the d e solution or with two or more dyes, thus mo ifying the predominant color. For example,.a light shade of the red dye has been relied upon for producing flesh tints, and for the production of a blue sky the green (1 ed matrix film has been given a secondary dlp in a blue dye solution (see copending apphcation of Dr. L. T. Troland, Serial No.

280,289, filed May 24, 1928). But suchexpedients are necessarily limited in their application and in the results which they may e relied upon to produce. And obviously the are wholly ina equate to reproduce pure yel ow objects or to contribue a true yellow coloration to those images in whichyellow should be a positive component, as for example ellow sand, gold ornamentation, orange sha es, etc.

By the present invention these disadvantages may be overcome and a substantially accurate color reproduction of all objects may be produced by imbibition printing of a blank film in the com 'lementary colors red, blue and yellow, (pre erably in ure dyes as distinguished from diluted dyes from comma. Serial llo. 845,008.

either sequence desired. For special e ects, 7

however, the se uence may be rearranged. -A typical an preferred instance 0 carrymg out the invention in actual practice will be described with reference more particular:

ly to colored motion picture or cinematographic films. For this purpose, the following dye compositions have been found especially advantageous and appropriate Yellow Anth'racene yellow GR (400% pure Schultz No. 177 or Sulhon yellow B Zeit. fiir Farben industrie 1908 Beil. 22 Glacial acetic acid 450 Water, to make a total volume 0f 18 liters Red Acid magenta 2 B conc (eggtreated 6.0%) 4000 cc Acid magenta BN conc (eggtreated 6.0%) 300 cc. Fast red 8 conc (egg-treated 3.0%); -1500 cc. Glacial acetic aoid.. 600 cc. Water, to makea total volume I of 18 liters v Blue-green Pontacyl green SN extra (eggtreated 45%)---. 5700 cc. Fast acid green B (egg-treated 3.0% 2800- cc. Glacial acetic acid a.. 600- cc. Water, to make a total volum of 18 liters .1o grams mary color components of the original scene, 7

are prepared in accordance with the usual practices, care being taken that they severally correspond to the spectral range ofthe dye tj Wrattan series.

solutions to be employed, as nearly as may be.

To this end an appropriate filter for preparing the matrix films, ma for example, be selected from the A B an C filters of the The yellow matrix is now passed through orin surface contact with the yellow dye solution prepared as above, and then rinsed with water. The superficial liquid is blown off by passing the film before an air jet or the like. The blank is wet with water, and the dye-wet film and blank are then brought into firm face contact (preferably while submerged in a bath of cold water to prevent inclusion of air bubbles) and maintained in such contact for a sufiicient period of time to effect imbibition transfer of the dye from the 'matrix to the blank and thus to form the yellow component of the image to be depicted thereon.

The yellow printed film blank is then separated from the matrix film and dried and passed into like contact, while submerged in water, with the red dye-wet matrix film. The contact is maintained for a sufiicient time to effect substantially complete transfer of the dye to the blank. The matrix film and film blank are then separated, the printed blank being again dried, and passed into surface contact'with the blue dye-wet matrix film.

' The latter is wet with blue d e solution in the same way as theother matrix films and contacted under water in a like manner to that described above, and the contact is continued for a sufiicient time to efiect complete transfer of the dye to the blank.

- The printed blank is then separated from the blue matrix film and may\be subjected to v a solution of a mordant suc as tannic acid which serves to. render the dye images insolubleand fast. At the same time it. toughens the hardened gelatine film. Gfilenne ma also be added, which keeps the soft an pliable.

. The finished blank is dried and is then ready for use in the usual apparatus for projecting motion pictures. The projec images are possessed of the full range of coloration, including each of the pure primary colors red, blue and yellow, as well as composite shades and derivative colors, such I as oranges, purples, greens, etc., in purer comconcern position than is obtainable by modification of a" compound colors such asgreen or dilution of such colors, etc. s

From the foregoing it will be understood that the colors red and blue are the ification and claims merely for illustration, thzgresent invention bein particularly with the yellow co or; and that any variations of the red and blue colors, such as commonly employed in the art of color hotogra h ma be made without depart- P from d; spirit of the invention. In

co or'cinematography, for example, inas much as the so-called red component must also transmit blue light it is usually colored magenta, and inasmuch as the so-called blue component'must also transmit green it is ordinarily colored blue-green.

.I claim:

1. A, method of making colored motion picture films comprising the steps of pre armg matrix ms corresponding to the t ree grimary colors in the original scene to beepicted, wetting the same in solutions of correspondin yellow, red and blue dyes respectively, said solutions being characterized by containing their several dyes in true solution'onlyand free from solids of whatever sort, whether dyes or other substances, and

successively contacting-the dye-wet films in dyes in true solution only and free from solids of whatever sort, whether dyes or other substances, and successively contacting the dye-wet films in registered superposition u on a film blank, with intermediate drying o the latter, and finally treating the printe blank with a-mordantin solution.

3. A method of ma ing colored motion picture films, comprising the stegipf preparmg a yellow-printing matrix wetting the same with a solution of apure iyellow dye, said solution being characterized y containing the d e in true solution only and free from soli s of whatever sort, whether of the dye-wet matrix film with thev blank filmto be printed.

4. A method of making colored motion picture films, comprising the steps of preparmg a yellow-printing matrix film, wettin the same with a solution of Acid Anthracene ellow GR pure dye, said solution being characterized by containing the dye in true solu'-) tion only and free from solids of whatever sort, whether of the dye or other substance, and contacting the dye-wet matrix film with the blank film to be printed.

5. A colored motion picture film, characterized by having fixed superposed ima es thereon of pure yellow, red and blue soluble matter, whether of dye or other substance.

6. A colored motion picture film, characterized by having an ima thereon com- 0M of imbibed cid Ant racene Yellow B pure d e solution. 7. A co ored motion picture film chardye or other substance, and contacting the ieo ye .solutions, respectively, and free from iniao this th da ucterizedb havin fixedsu lgosed mges' tliereon of gellow, ed and mi: ye solutions; respectively and free'from insoluble matter whether of dye or other substance, mordanted ereon. 8. A colored motion picture film characterized by havin' an ima thereon com osed of imbibed cid An acene Yellow lgpure dye solution, mordanted with tennic e01 Si ed by me at Boston, Massachusetts of March, 1929. RTHA SUGDEN TUTTLE; 

